1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a medical adhesive dressing used for applying to the skin in the field of medical therapy and hygiene. More particularly, the present invention relates to a medical adhesive dressing used advantageously in a first-aid adhesive tape or a large size adhesive tape, a dressing material, a drape material, etc. The present invention also relates to a first-aid adhesive tape having such a medical adhesive dressing.
2. Description of the Related Art
Medical adhesive dressings usually include a backing film having an adhesive layer on one surface thereof and upon use it is applied to a desired skin surface through the adhesive layer.
The backing films for use in an adhesive dressing for use in medical applications are mostly those which comprise flexible polyvinyl chloride as a main component in view of their skin following property (flexibility) while they are applied to the skin, stretchability (contraction and expansion properties), feeling, etc.
Generally, flexible polyvinyl chloride contains a plasticizer in a large amount in order to impart it with flexibility. It has been pointed out some problems. That is, the plasticizer migrates into the adhesive layer of the adhesive dressing so that its cohesion decreases and the phenomenon of adhesive residue or a decrease in adhesion power occurs. Recently, from the viewpoint of placing importance to environment, movement is being developed in various fields for trying as much as possible to reduce the amount of polyvinyl chloride resins, which contain chlorine, a species of halogen harmful to environment.
Accordingly, polyolefin resins are being given attention as a substitute for polyvinyl chloride resin and study has been made on the usability as the backing film for adhesive dressings for medical use. The backing film made of polyolefin resin is excellent in flexibility and stretchability and is useful as a polyvinyl chloride substituted film.
In the commercialization of such a medical adhesive dressing, it is usually the case that first-aid adhesive tapes or large-size adhesive tapes are manufactured as having a print layer on one surface of the backing film thereof. That is, usually first-aid adhesive tapes and large-size adhesive tapes are devised such that one surface of the backing film is printed by pattern printing in a color resembling human skin. For example, they are provided with patterns of grids, semi-continuous or continuous crosses, etc. so that the adhesive dressing does not attract attention. Products may also be manufactured with multi-color printing.